As various systems, such as communications networks, computing networks, transportation networks, etc., grow in size and complexity, a potential for large-scale failures also increases. Large-scale failures can be measured in terms of disrupted components or affected users and can be caused by software errors, system configuration errors, improper maintenance, malicious attacks, natural disasters (e.g., tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, etc.), and so on. Such failures can result in significant economic and social impact on governments, populations, and businesses. As such, recovery from large-scale failures is a principal focus. In particular, for failures caused from natural disasters, effective recovery can aid rescue operations and, accordingly, have life-or-death consequences.
Conventional attempts to design survivable systems, e.g., networks capable of maintaining function through major incidents, have focused on implementing redundancies. For example, techniques to survive a single-link failure, e.g., failure of one link of a network, can include dedicated and/or shared link protection and restoration, p-cycle protection, and dual-homing protection. While modeling of large-scale failures and identifying vital infrastructure facilities to access vulnerability of a system to a disaster, conventional techniques regarding recovery of systems from large-scale failures focus on proactive provisioning of backup paths. Accordingly, conventional system management approaches have focused on proactively increasing resilience of a system to disruptions. However, little attention has been given to rebuilding or recovering a damaged system through repair of failed components after large-scale failures.
The above-described deficiencies of conventional approaches to system robustness to large-scale failures are merely intended to provide an overview of some of the problems of conventional approaches and techniques, and are not intended to be exhaustive. Other problems with conventional systems and techniques, and corresponding benefits of the various non-limiting embodiments described herein may become further apparent upon review of the following description.